Taking Its Toll
by Rehua
Summary: On a night two years earlier, a raven haired girl had lost everything. Now on the anniversary of his death, a warm hand finds her shoulder accompanied with caring blue eyes.
1. Lost in You

It's been two years since it happened, two years since my life fell apart. His voice still echoes in the very core of my soul, but it's empty. Forgotten. His life slipped through my own, his body impossible to hold, a snowflake in my hand that has merely melted away by my own warmth.

I now hide behind the smile, woken to find myself encased in shadows. I can't forget it, the pain still lingers. No matter how much I want it to go away, it always remains within my heart, burning like a wild fire. I have grown so willing of this lie I live, that the truth is buried and smothered like the life I once grasped in my hands.

_Flashback_

The night was cold and bitter as snow nipped at the window, a flame crackling in the Manson fireplace. Raven haired with a bitter look on her face, young fourteen year old Sam sat on the family couch, sipping hot chocolate ridded with marshmallows, fingers grasping the mug handle.

A large plasma screen TV flickered with light in front of her, purple eyes gazing intently at a Christmas special she had been watching for the past half hour. Her parents had left for Colorado for the holidays, hoping Sam would join them, but their daughter had turned them down.

This holiday Tucker and Danny were staying in Amity Park, and she did anything to get away from her parents for a little while. Reluctantly, her mother and father had agreed to let her stay home over the Christmas weekend with her grandmother, so here Sam was on her couch alone, awaiting Tucker and Danny to arrive within a few minutes.

Suddenly the phone rang beside her, making Sam jump and spill some hot chocolate on her black skirt. Frustrated with herself, she wiped off the cocoa with a napkin and picked up the phone as Mrs. Fenton's voice was heard from the other line.

"Oh Sam, I'm sorry for ruining your holiday but," her voice held sobs and pain as she spoke, her voice quivering.

"Mrs. Fenton? What's wrong?" Sam's mind went into hyper drive; she had never heard Danny's mother cry before, or, at least, not this hard and panicked.

"Sam… we found Danny on the sidewalk earlier… he… he…"

"He what?" Sam was frantic now, her voice starting to quiver as well.

"Oh Sam, we're sorry, but Danny was shot… he's gone…"

And at that moment the mug dropped from Sam's hand, crashing on the wooden floor and splitting into a hundred tiny pieces, just like her heart.

_End Flashback_

Well, that was then, and this is now. After that day, my parents flew right home. They held my head in their arms and said sorry more than I can count. They said they understood how I felt, but never would they understand. I always pulled away, walking to my room as tears streamed from my eyes.

There I would linger for hours, my tears numbing my face as I left the window open. The snow would always poor in slowly, the wind nipping at my hands. The candles that usually lighted my room then burned out, my hair matted and tangled, my eyes slowly beginning to fade into a shade of gray.

Tucker would usually call and try to help, but I always hung up after he spoke of Danny. I couldn't bare the fact anymore, the fact that he was gone. And I still can't. I still lay in my room frozen in that time period. You know that saying about how you don't know what you have until it's gone?

Well... it's gone.

This night, the window was still open beside me as I buried my head in my hands. It has been two years since Danny had died. Snow once more fell outside and the wind had picked up recently, blowing through my room and whipping my curtains around.

But did I care? No.

I still cried at night, every night to be exact, and I still thought of the times that Danny was alive and well, the times when he would blush and we would hold hands; accidentally or purposely. My black hair was tipped in my own tears as they streamed from my face. Sobs escaped my mouth and I couldn't take it anymore.

_He is gone, _I thought silently, holding my breath as another sob was let loose. _And no one can change that…_

"Sam…" A warm voice appeared behind me, but I didn't look up from my hands. I didn't speak towards whoever was approaching on me, whoever had walked into my room and found me crying.

"Sam… it's me,"

A hand touched my shoulder and my mouth fell open, tears still streaming but controlled briefly. The wind seemed to subside as I gazed up into ice blue eyes…


	2. I Can't Say Sorry Enough

Disclaimers: Sadly, I don't own Danny Phantom. Boo hoo.

Wow, I got some nice reviews about the last chapter Thank you everyone!

The world seemed to freeze under a spell at that moment, the snow stopped suddenly and clouds seemed to linger near. My heart fell under the same enchantment as I gazed up, where there before me stood a person I thought had died a long time ago…

"D- Danny?" I studdered in disbelief, it couldn't be real. _It must be another dream. I just fell asleep crying, that's all. _After the accident, I had cried myself to sleep at night, falling into darkness where visions of Danny returning came to my head. But I woke up every time to find my bedside empty.

The black haired boy merely smiled and I leapt up to greet him, my arms wrapping around his shoulders as I cried even harder.

"It can't be you, can it?" I spoke through salted tears, trying hard not to choke on them. Once I saw his blue eyes begin to water, but it quickly past.

As I stood there looking up at him, I found his shirt and jeans to be stained and ripped to fit his size as he had grown, black hair matted and tangled; in desperate need of a hair cut.

At that moment, I didn't care. All I cared about was looking up into his eyes and smiling, feeling the warmth his hands brought me that had vanished long ago. I wondered how he had gotten into my room without me noticing, but of course, he **has **ghost powers.

"Danny, what happened? Why did you leave?"

"Sam... I'm sorry. I... I don't know, I think that's a story for another day,"

"Today is another day from yesterday,"

Danny sighed but all the same smiled as he sat down on my bed and merely watched with hopeful eyes to see if I would sit beside him, and eventually I did happen to walk over and take my place at his side.

"I don't know what to say Sam, but… that night I disappeared… I couldn't take it anymore. I just… I don't know. My sister and I had gotten into a big fight, ghosts were coming out of no where and… it was out of control. I don't know what the hell I was thinking then. I'm sorry… I just thought that running away would solve it.

"That body that my parents found on the sidewalk? That was a duplicate. I don't know how, but I was able to keep it there for a while until the police came. Then once they left to find my mom and dad, I did too. I thought it would make it easier for everyone else if I was gone…"

Danny sighed heavily and looked away from me, but I put my hand on his and smiled to comfort him.

"From there on I ran off, or actually flew off, to a city called Lake View. I found an abandoned house there and was able to buy food for a while using the money I had saved at home. After my money ran out, I got a job and from there on, well you know.

"I was surprised they didn't bulldoze the house. It was starting to fall apart and I always found some bug creeping in there, but the old owner had left behind furniture, so I made the best of it.

"As for now, why I came back, well…"

He paused for a moment to scan the room as if looking for something.

"Everything started to go down hill there. I lost my job and the house was becoming dangerous, so I decided to come back. But my parents don't know yet, only you. And Tucker, soon."

Danny tried to smile at same but I could see the pain in his eyes.

"By the way, how is Tucker?" He asked briefly, still trying to sustain a smile.

"He's okay, I guess. I haven't talked to him in a while, actually…"

My face wandered towards the open window and Danny's face held sorrow.

"I guess I did do more harm than good, then," he said shortly, averting my gaze as my face turned to his.

"Danny I'm just glad you're back. That's all that matters to me right now," I tried to cheer him up, and I knew how Danny's mind worked; he shoved all the blame on himself and thought that he caused it all. I felt bad, as I knew I had caused problems too. I mean… if I had been there for him when he needed me…

"Sam…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…" his voice trailed off and he looked at me and we sat there a while staring feeling sorry for each other, when Danny stood up and smiled.

"I think someone needs to be paid a visit," he said and took my hand as he took off with me at his side into the winter night.

Ha! I know this chapter sucks bad, but please review! I need at least 6 reviews before I update!


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